Long-Term Update 9: 2011 Nissan Juke SL

12 Months and 24,757 Miles

With only a month left on my loan, now is the best time to highlight some of the Juke's amenities I've so far neglected to cover.

I'll start with privacy glass. Tint protects passengers' skin from UV rays, plus keeps them cool, calm, and sunscreen-free. Not to mention, you can make faces at fellow stoplight-waiters with little consequence.

But alas, such isn't the situation for front sitters. The legality of dark glass varies per locality, so ultimately, Nissan left them naked. There isn't a day that goes by that I wished for a lenient legislature. I love making faces at people. So what.

There has also never been a day that I don't desire an armrest. It's baffling to think that engineers green-lit a CUV without one. Maybe it was a matter of aesthetics that negated a resting place for elbows; maybe it was pesky bean counters. Either way, Nissan failed.

When it comes to maintenance, however, the little Nissan hasn't failed me. My most recent dealer stop was for a 22,500 mile checkup under Schedule 2 (Less Severe driving). This included oil and filter change, plus a tire rotation and 27-point inspection. Since I went with Mobil 1 5W30 synthetic oil, the service cost me $94.35.